Loose-leaf binder



Jan. 12 1926. 1,569,005

.1. c. DAWSON LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Sept. 16 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Izal'gni' v Inventor.- Jaime; Cfia'zason Jan. 12 ,1926. 1,569,005

J. c. DAWSON LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Sept. 1 2 2 Sheets-Shasta [922/092601-: JZrm e,s (5 Ja wp'm Patented Jan. 12, 1926.

" UNITED STATES JAMES C. DAWSON, OF WEBSTER GROVES,

MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO ELMA N. DAWSON,

OF WEBSTER GROVES, MISSOURI.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Application filed September 16, 1924. Serial No. 738,022.

To aZZw/wm it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns C. DAWSON, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Webster Groves, county of St. Louis, and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Binders,of which the following is a specification, and which are illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to loose leaf binders of the type disclosed in myapplication, S. N. 623,690, filed March 8, 1923, of which this is adivision in part.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of new and improvedmeans for automatically holding the paper engaging prongs in either openor closed position.

Another object of the invention is the pro. vision of a new and improvedmethod of, and means for, assembling the parts of the binder.

Other objects of the invention are the pro vision of new and improvedloose leaf binder mechanism that is cheap to manufacture, easilyassembled, simple in construction, and that is not likely to becomebroken or get out of order.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appearfrom the following description taken in connection with the followingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is a bottom plan View of a loose leaf bindermechanism showing the parts in partially assembled relation;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the loose leaf binder in position in a cover,with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a finish ing strip in position thereon;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the finishing strip;

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing one of the clips; 1

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modified form of theconstruction;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a modified form of the device, showing the samein position on a cover, with parts broken away;

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. and

Fig. 9 is a similar section, but showing the paper holding prongs inclosed position.

On the drawings, the reference characters 10 and 11 designate two barsor rods which may be more or less resilient. The rod 10 is formed at itsends into short, rigid arches 12 and 13. The ends of the rod 10 adjacentthe arches terminate in laterally extending paper holding prongs 14 and,15 which are.

preferably curved, as shown on the drawing. The rod 11 is provided withshort rigid arches 16 and 17 which are adapted to cooperate with thecorresponding arches 12 and .13 respectively of the rod 10 for formingtoggles as willpresently appear. The ends of the rod 11 terminate inpaper holding prongs 18 and 19 that are adapted to cooperate with theprongs 14 and 15 to form a paper retaining ring, of any approvedconstruction. i

If desired, the'rods 10 and 11 may be duplicates of each other, thussimplifying the construction and assembly of the parts. It isunderstood, however, that the construction of the rods may be otherwise.

Suitable means are provided for forming bearings at the base portions ofthe arches of the rods, whereby when the rods are assembled with thearches of one opposed to the arches of the other, the arches will pivotto form toggles. In the form of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 thebearings are in tegral with the rods and in this construction the arch13 of the rod 10 is provided at its base or base portions with lugs orprojections 21 and 22 which are adapted to engage corresponding recesses23 and 24 at the bases or base portions of the arch 17 of the rod 11.

The lugs and recesses are reversed at the other ends of the rods, asclearly shownin Fig. 1 of the drawings. For convenience of descriptionthe bearings 22 and 24 formed by the outer base-portions of the archeswill be termed the outer bearings, and the bearings 21 and 23 the innerbearings.

The lugs 22 and recesses 24 at the outer ends of the rods are preferablyslightly out of alinement with the lugs 21 and recesses 23 forming theinner bearings of the toggles, so that in assembling the parts, as shownin Fig. 1, the inner hearings will first-come in contact with each otherand act as fulcrums thereby causing an arching or bowing of the centralportions 25 of the rods 10 and 11 when the ends of the rods are forcedtogether to cause the lugs or projections to engage the recesses 24. Thearching or bowing of the I central portions 25 of the rods will affordresiliency to assist" in maintai'ning the toggles in open or closedposition.

Suitable means are provided for holding the rods 10 and 11 in assembledrelation. In the form of the device selected'to illustrate oneembodiment of the invention, sheet metalclips are employed for thispurpose. Preferably there are as many clips employed as toggle joints.Each clip 26, see Fig. 6, comprises a base" portion 27 provided withcurved side portions 28qand 29' that are the clip be resilient providedthe arched ends of the rods be so constructed or bent that the lugs 22do not engagethe bottoms of the recesses 24 when the toggles are ateither side of dead center, whereby when the toggles are operatedthelugs 22 will be forced farther into'the' recesses 24, thus causingthe body portions 25' of the rods to spread apart, thereby furnishingthe necessary resiliency to hold the prongs in either open or closedposition.- As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the clips are alsoresilient.

In assembling the parts, the rodslO and 11'- are brought together withthe lugs or projections 21 in engagement with the recesses 23 afterwhich the clips are placed in position on the central portions of therods and slid outwardly over the arches'to force the outer ends togethertocause the projections 22 to loosely engage the recesses 24. Since thearches are rigid the forcingof the clips over the same will cause thecentral portions of. the rods to bow slightly apart, as shown in Figs. 1and 2, thus placing them under tension to furnish the necessaryresiliencv for operating the toggle joints. The clips are more orlessresilient and thus assist in holding the toggles in either adjustedposition. The resiliency of the clips may be obtained by curving thebody portion thereof as shown at 40, see Fig. 1.

While I have described the clips and'rods as both being resilient it isunderstood that the necessary resiliency may be obtained by either forholding the prongs in' open or closed position. A snappier action,however, may be obtained by forming both the rods and clips of suitableresilient material.

After the clips are slid in position over the toggles the attaching tabs31 are bent downward as at 33 over the basesv of the paper holdingprongs, for retaining the rods in assembled relation,=after which thedevice may be secured. to the back 34 of a cover 35 43 are provided witha slightly different form of hearing. In this construction,-the

base portions of the arches are provided with recesses which areadapted: to re'celve" pins 44'therein to form journals for the toggles.The outer ends of the arches being spaced further apartthan theirinnerends, the pins 44 may be easily and readily assembled in position,aswill be evident from an inspection of Fig. 6.

The form of the'device shown inFigs. 7 S'and 9 diflers from that shownin Figs. 1 to 5 in that the crowns of'th'e arches'45 and 46 of the rods47 and 48 areflat, thereby forming a longer bearing surface for engagingthe clips 49. The clips 49-difier from those described above in thatthey are provided with notches 51 for engaging the paper holding prongs52 and-53,011 the rods 47 and 48. The clips 49 are attached to-th'e back34 ofthe cover 35 by fastening means 54 in substantially the same mannerasithe' clips 26 in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, inclusive.

It is thought from the foregolng, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, that the construction and operation of.

mydevice will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that variouschanges in size, shape, proportion anddetails of construction may bemade without departing. from the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim as my invention:

- 1. In combination, a palr of resilient rods,

each formed at each end into a short rigid arch and a curvedpaper-holding prong, co-v operating bearings at the base of each arch,the outer bearings of the arches ofeach; rod being out of alinement withthe inner bearings thereof, said arches forming atoggle at each end ofsaidrods and means for holding said hearings in engagement whereby theresiliency of the rods between said toggles will retainsaid prongs ineitheropen or closed position through the action of said toggles.

2. In' a loose leaf binder, a. resilient rod terminating at each end inpaper holding prongs and formed into an arch ad acent to each of saidprongs, the bases of said arches forming bearings and the outer bearingof each arch being in the plane of the arches and out of alinement wit-hthe inner bearings of saidarches.

In a looseleaf bindeigthe combination of a pair of rods each formed intoa short rigid arch at each end thereof and terminating in paper holdingprongs, said arches extending outwardly and forming a toggle at each endof the pair of rods and means for resiliently retaining said prongs ineither open or closed position through the action of said toggles.

4. In combination, a pair of resilient rods, each formed at each endinto a short rigid arch and a curved paper holding prong, cooperatingbearings at the base of each arch, the outer bearings of the arches ofeach rod being out of alinement with the inner bearing s thereof, saidarches forming a toggle at each end of said rods andmeans cooperatingwith the resilient portions of said rods for holding said prongs ineither open or closed position.

5. A method of assembling a pair of loose leaf binder rods having togglearches formed therein, which consists in arranging said rods with thearches of one rod opposite those of the other, placing a clip on theinner portions of a pair of arches, and forcing the same outwardly oversaid arches.

6. A method of assembling a pair of loose leaf binder rods having togglearches and paper holding prongs formed thereon, which consists inarranging said rods with the arches of one rod opposite those of theother, placing a clip having an attaching tab on the inner portions ofthe pair of arches, and forcing the same outwardly over said arches, andoffsetting said tab over said prongs for holding said rods in assembledrelation.

7. In a loose leaf binder, the combination of a pair of rods each formedinto a short rigid arch at each end thereof and terminating in paperholding prongs, said arches forming a toggle at each end of the pair ofrods and resilient clips for holding said rods in assembled relation andfor retaining said prongs in either open or closed position through theaction of said toggles.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

JAMES C. DAVSON.

